In Print: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

Everyone knows the concept of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but do you REALLY know the story? For instance, did you realize it was written by Robert Louis Stevenson? Name sound familiar? How about the same guy behind the literary classic TREASURE ISLAND. Didn't know he had such a dark side? Well apparently so, as he wrote several dark tomes in his time. He also wrote a bunch of other literature, but the average person wouldn't know about them either.

I recently decided to embark upon a quest for knowledge. I have been reading plenty of contemporary fiction, but I had the urge for something different. I wanted to venture into the cellars that gave birth to modern horror. I read THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA last year and loved every brilliant page. So I wanted to try some other horror classics, books that still have an impact on the world a century after being written.

"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" has seen many incarnations. The characters have shown up in several movies, children's stories and even Bugs Bunny cartoons. But none of these are true to the original.

It's a very short tale, in fact, coming in at under one hundred pages. However, each page is a gem. It takes place in Victorian London with a dry yet clever cast of characters. Beyond that, I will say no more. You MUST read this! The story begs to have it's pages turned, and you want to read it slowly, just so you don't speed through it too quickly.

You can probably procure some edition of this book very cheaply, and if you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend that you do so. If for no other reason, you too will join the ranks of those who actually bothered to read it and not just rent the movie.